Khabib Nurmagomedov’s continued resistance to a lightweight title fight between Islam Makahchev and Ilia Topuria has raised questions about the Dagestani camp’s intention. Is Khabib hustling the promotion for a bigger payday?
Khabib has been rather vocal about his compatriot’s return to action as of late. Playing advocate for his student, the ex-titleholder asserts that at 34, Islam doesn’t have to indulge in short-notice opponents like Renato Moicano or untested lightweights like Topuria.
Notably, the Spaniard has been in a league of his own for over a year, finishing former lightweight champion Max Holloway during his last outing at UFC 308 in 2024, which preceded him taking the 135 lbs belt away from Alexander Volkanovski with another dominant KO at UFC 298.
Versatile in his approach, Ilia also poses the biggest threat to Islam, promising a record-breaking fight for the ages. Naturally, questions have been asked of Team Khabib’s motivations behind this blatant refusal. However, clarifying the former champion’s stance is Daniel Cormier.
“Khabib (Nurmagomedov) is about as straight a shooter as you’re ever going to find,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel.
“Khabib doesn’t, not speak truthfully to you, right? So when you hear him say things publicly, take it as fact. This isn’t him posturing, this isn’t these guys trying to raise the price on a fight or anything. This is a true emotion, a true feeling.”
Vacating his featherweight crown earlier this month at UFC 314, Topuria has been steadfast in his pursuit of an immediate title fight at lightweight against pound-for-pound pacesetter, Makhachev.
The Spaniard has even publicly challenged Makhachev, claiming to put him to sleep via his own favorite, D’Arce choke – if that is what is needed to get the champion to sign on the dotted lines.
But Khabib has continued to insist that Topuria must first entangle himself in a #1 contender fight before shooting his shot at arguably the greatest UFC lightweight champion of all time.
In fact, he has gone as far as to claim that Islam’s original opponent for UFC 311 earlier this year, Arman Tsarukyan, was a far tougher challenge for the Dagestani.
“I think Arman is a more serious fighter than Topuria. Topuria is a good fighter at 145, but we haven’t seen him at 155“, he said.
Responding to Topuria’s allegations about having promised a lightweight title shot, Khabib asserted that, while unaware, it didn’t matter.
“Let’s imagine Topuria moves up and gets a title shot right away, Islam beats him. Then Topuria fights again, he loses again, so basically he was a nobody at 155. Islam beat a guy who was a nobody at 155“, he pointed out, noting that Islam had already defended his title against featherweight twice.
However, Topuria isn’t buying the explanation.
Topuria believes Makhachev’s looking for greener pastures
And as far as he is concerned, next month’s UFC 316 title fight featuring Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena is the one that decides his future at 155 lbs.
Despite Khabib’s repeated claims that Islam would never fight Belal, Topuria claims that the UFC won’t offer them much of a choice. If Maddalena wins the welterweight title next month, Islam is expected to move to 170 lbs of his own volition.
If Belal retains, the UFC brass will march him up themselves.
“That’s gonna happen,” Topuria said of a fight between Belal and Islam on the Joe Rogan Experience.
“If he (Muhammad) wins, they’re [the UFC] gonna make that fight happen against Islam.”
Previously training alongside each other, Muhammad has been steadfast in his claim that he would rather vacate the title and try for the 185 lbs division, than take on the undisputed lightweight best.
Either way, this means Makhachev is likely in for a period of inactivity. If a fight with Topuria or Belal is not suitable, the champ may be out for the better part of the year. At 34, that doesn’t bode too well for his legacy either.
